Fire acquire Ljungberg in blockbuster trade

Former Seattle Sounders fan favorite Freddie Ljungberg will face his former team twice after Friday's trade (Getty Images)

NEW YORK – The Chicago Fire may be sitting on the outside of the playoff picture right now, but on Friday they made their ambitions for 2010 abundantly clear with the acquisition of Designated Player Freddie Ljungberg in a trade with the Seattle Sounders. It marks the first trade of a DP in MLS history.

Ljungberg, 33, will join Mexican national team star Nery Castillo, the Fire’s most recent DP acquisition, who was just introduced to the press on Thursday. Chicago adds Castillo and Ljungberg to a lineup which also features MLS All-Star Marco Pappa, former US national team forward Brian McBride and highly regarded attacker Patrick Nyarko.

Ljungberg heads to the Windy City in exchange for a conditional draft pick in the 2011 or 2012 SuperDraft. The conditions necessary to be met in order for the pick to materialize were not disclosed.

In the process, Seattle also avoids having to pay the “luxury fee” of $250,000 for having three DPs on the books. The Sounders announced the signing of Uruguayan World Cup midfielder and Designated Player Alvaro Fernandez on Thursday but did not officially place him on the active roster until the Ljungberg trade happened. Swiss World Cup star Blaise Nkufo is Seattle’s other DP.

Ljungberg last played for Seattle on July 4, with an injury cited by both player and club sidelining him since then.

The Fire and Sounders are yet to play each other in the MLS regular season. The two matches are scheduled on Aug. 28 at Qwest Field and on Sept. 25 at Toyota Park.

Chicago will begin to make up the six-point deficit in the playoff race with a match at the league-leading Los Angeles Galaxy on Sunday (7:30 p.m. ET, Fox Soccer Channel). Ljungberg will be available for selection. Fernandez is also eligible to play for Seattle, who sit just one point out of the eighth and final playoff spot and travel to face San Jose on Saturday (10 p.m. ET).

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FC Dallas sign Academy players to professional contracts

FC Dallas signed three FCD Juniors players -- Ulloa, Hernández and Luna -- to professional contracts. (Coutesy of FC Dallas)

FRISCO, Texas – FC Dallas introduced the three newest members of their family – FCD Juniors players Moises Hernández, Rubén Luna and Víctor Ulloa – in a conference held at Pizza Hut Park on Friday. All three were signed to professional contracts under the homegrown player initiative.

WATCH:FCD announce player signings

“This is a tremendous day for FC Dallas Youth Academy and the developmental program,” FCD technical director Barry Gorman said. “We have three young men here that … are part of the future with FC Dallas. It’s an indication of the commitment of our ownership and our coaching staff to developing and finding the top talent locally in the Dallas area.”

“We see there is a very realistic path that if you’re with the club, you can dream and one day be a professional player. We’re very excited to have them here,” said FCD manager Schellas Hyndman.

Hernández, Luna and Ulloa were all members of the U-18 FC Dallas Juniors that won the Central Conference this season with an 11-2-3 record.

“It means a lot to me,” said Hernández of being signed. “I just thank God that I’m here.”

The 6-foot defender from Dallas started in a team-high 30 matches and nabbed two goals.

Luna, also 18, scored 26 goals in 29 appearance for FCD Juniors. He spent much of preseason training with FCD’s first team.

“We’ve been working with Rubén for almost a year to get to this special day,” said Hyndman. “He is not only a great human being, but he’s also a wonderful goal scorer. We could have used him earlier this year [when we were having trouble scoring goals].”

The magnitude of the moment was clearly not lost on the young striker.

“Playing here is a dream come true for me. I’ve waited so long,” Luna said.

Ulloa, 18, is the third member of the group. The 5-foot-11 midfielder served as the FCD Juniors captain during the 2010 campaign.

“It’s a privilege for me. I’d like to thank all my coaches and God for this opportunity,” he said. “Now we’ve just got to work hard. It means a lot to me and my family. They’ve always supported me.”

Hernández, Luna and Ulloa recently represented FC Dallas in the US Soccer Development Academy during U-17/U-18 Finals Week at The Home Depot Center in Carson, Calif. FCD Juniors, in first place heading into their third game, fell 3-2 on a stoppage-time goal to CASL Chelsea FC Academy. That loss dropped FCD Juniors to the third spot.

Since the three talented youngsters have been playing together for some time and have become close friends, joining the club as a group made the event even more special.

“We’re all really close friends from the Juniors. It’s great we’re all here together,” Hernández said.

FC Dallas’ newest signings join Bryan Leyva as former FCD Juniors players to be signed to professional contracts, making the Hoops the MLS team with the most homegrown player signings (four).

Under Major League Soccer’s homegrown player initiative, homegrown players do not count against the salary budget. Luna is eligible to play with the first team during the 2010 season, while Ulloa and Hernandez will be eligible for the 2011 season.

All three players traveled with FC Dallas’ senior squad to Colorado, where FCD will take on the Rapids. They were all slated to play for the clubs’ reserves game after the first teams meet on Saturday at Dick’s Sporting Goods Park.

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Fire's Nyarko optimistic about LA match

Nyarko realizes Fire face tough test vs. LA, but optimistic about winning. (Getty Images)

BRIDGEVIEW, Ill. – Fire winger Patrick Nyarko didn’t mince words when talking about Sunday’s match against the league-leading LA Galaxy at the Home Depot Center.

“It’s the biggest game of the year,” Nyarko said. “They are pretty much dominating the entire league, so we have our work cut out for us, especially going over there.”

Although he realizes that the Galaxy will provide a tough test, Nyarko is confident that Chicago can walk out of LA’s home venue with a positive result.

“We just need to worry about ourselves and prepare ourselves mentally,” he said. “We know we’re a good team. On any day, we can beat anyone if we play that total 90-minute game we know we can play.”

And Nyarko does have good reason to be optimistic. Los Angeles, 2-3-1 in their last six games across all competitions, haven’t looked like the herculean team that only lost once in its first 13 MLS games. In a CONCACAF Champions League game on Tuesday night, the Galaxy were hammered at home 4-1 by the Puerto Rico Islanders, a squad that LA were expected to handle relatively easily.

The loss, which LA forward Edson Buddle called “embarrassing,” came a day before midfielder Landon Donovan, goalkeeper Donovan Ricketts and defender Omar Gonzalez played in the MLS All-Star Game in Houston. Their participation could make for some tired legs against the Fire, who will be looking to catch LA on the counterattack.

“It’s in the game plan to beat them,” Nyarko said. “We should try to exploit [their fatigue] and hopefully we can do that to perfection and stop them and get the result.”

Sam Stejskal covers the Chicago Fire for MLSsoccer.com. He can be reached at sam.h.stejskal@gmail.com or on Twitter @samstejskal.

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For Castillo, a new flame is lit in MLS

The Fire introduced Nery Castillo as the club's new Designated Player on Thursday at Toyota Park. (Chicago Fire Media Relations)

BRIDGEVIEW Ill. – In the summer of 2007, Nery Castillo was one of the hottest young names in international soccer.

The Mexican forward/midfielder had just completed his seventh season with Greek giants Olympiakos, and was tearing up the international circuit. He impressed observers at the CONCACAF Gold Cup with both his speed and dribbling skills, and he followed with four goals in a scorching Copa América performance against the best South America had to offer.

Few would have predicted that Castillo would end up a member of the Chicago Fire a mere three years after he wowed the world. But there was Castillo at Toyota Park on Thursday, introduced as the Fire’s new Designated Player after a lengthy courtship that left both sides eager for the future.

“I had the opportunity to be loaned, and their interest seemed to be the same as mine,” Castillo said through a translator on Wednesday. “They believe in me.”

Fire technical director Frank Klopas echoed those sentiments Thursday, adding that the signing brings the Fire a dynamic playmaker who the club first contacted more than two years ago while he was on loan with Manchester City.

“Getting to this day has been a long journey for the Chicago Fire,” Klopas said. “I can remember over two-and-a-half years ago… when we in the UK, looking for potential DPs. Obviously we all knew Nery … and we were actually thinking that one day potentially this guy could be a great addition to the Fire organization.”

Castillo follows in the DP footsteps of Cuauhtémoc Blanco, who became the club’s first Designated Player in 2007. In fact, Castillo will wear No. 10, the same number worn by Blanco during his more than two seasons with the club.

Castillo said he spoke with Blanco about the city and team prior to making the move and that he doesn’t expect to have any problems adapting to the culture or the league.

“[Blanco] said that it was a nice place to play,” Castillo said. “He was really happy with the organization over here in MLS and said that it was a beautiful city. Cuauh mentioned also that he had a good time when he was over here and that it was a great memory for him.”

Despite Castillo’s success, Fire head coach Carlos de los Cobos warned that the club’s new signing won’t serve as the team’s lone salvation to an at-times frustrating season.

“We’ve made it clear that Nery’s not here to save the team, he’s here to add to the team,” de los Cobos said. “He will be an important part of the team and I’m sure he’s 100 percent committed to helping the team. One player can’t change the face of the team or change the dynamic of the team, so we have to continue working.”

Castillo’s journey to Chicago began when he left Olympiakos to sign a 20 million euro contract with Ukraine’s Shakhtar Donetsk shortly after his solid performance in the Copa América. The transfer turned out to be ill-fated, as Castillo fell out of favor when – in one of his first matches with the club – he refused to give the ball to regular penalty kick taker Cristiano Lucarelli after the team was awarded a spot kick.

Instead, Castillo took the shot himself, subsequently missed and was immediately subbed off the field.

A few months after the penalty kick incident, Castillo was loaned out to Manchester City. A shoulder injury hampered him in England and he returned to Shakhtar a year later, only to be shipped off for an unsuccessful year-long loan to Ukraine’s Dnipro Dnipropetrovsk in July 2009.

Castillo said Wednesday he had a hard time adjusting to life in Ukraine.

“Because of personal matters and adaptation things, I think that it didn’t work out,” he said. “I felt that I made a mistake because I didn’t know what was out there in Ukraine. When I got there I got surprised and the adaptation to that country was really, really sad because I wasn’t adjusting to that country’s lifestyle.”

Castillo has an opportunity to kick start his ailing career in Chicago. But he isn’t focused on himself. Rather, the 26-year-old is looking to do what his friend Blanco couldn’t: win a MLS Cup.

“I come over here with a lot of objectives,” Castillo said. “I know Cuauh was here in the past and I’ll be trying to [recreate his individual success] but I want to get a championship with the team. I want to show my qualities as much as I can so we can get things that the club deserves to get.”

Castillo, who began training with the Fire on Wednesday, will likely make his debut on Aug. 8, when the Fire play host to the New York Red Bulls.

Sam Stejskal covers the Chicago Fire for MLSsoccer.com. He can be reached at sam.h.stejskal@gmail.com or on Twitter @ samstejskal.

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Mapp admits Fire trade came as a surprise

Justin Mapp says his trade from Chicago to Philadelphia came as a surprise after nearly eight seasons with the Fire. (Jonathan Daniel/Getty)

SPRINGFIELD, Pa. – Eight years with any sports franchise is a long time, but it’s even longer after joining the club as a wide-eyed teenager.

That’s the story of new Philadelphia Union midfielder Justin Mapp who, before being traded to Peter Nowak’s club on Monday, spent the better part of a decade with the Chicago Fire organization.

Brought to the City of Brotherly Love in a trade for allocation money, Mapp is ready to get the new chapter of his career moving, despite his nostalgic feelings for his former home.

“It’s a little bittersweet,” Mapp said Wednesday after making 174 appearances for the Fire. “I’ve been there a while, so I was pretty comfortable with the city and my friends and teammates. I’m excited to be here though, and very optimistic, so I’m looking forward to it.”

WATCH: Mapp connects with McBride

Mapp admitted that he didn’t see the trade coming.

“I was a little surprised, just for the fact that I’ve been there for so long,” Mapp said. “It kind of hits you. It doesn’t really sink in immediately. I know anything can happen in this league and I’ve seen players in and out through the time I’ve been there.You can’t stay in one place forever, so it has to happen at some point, I’d imagine.”

Mapp is a rare breed in MLS, still just 25 years old but already with nine years of league experience. He started his career with D.C. United in 2002 before he was dealt to Chicago, where he was an MLS Best XI selection in 2006. He boasts 36 career assists and 14 goals in league play over his career.

“It seems like a good group of guys,” Mapp said of the Union. “I’ve only been here one day, but they are a good group, a young group. If they [the younger players] need any advice from me or anything, I’m always willing to do that. Whatever way I can help out.”

The Union return to action against the New England Revolution on Saturday at PPL Park.

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Donovan, Chicharito share unique moment at ASG

Landon Donovan (left) and Javier Hernandez were both fan favorites on Wednesday night. (Getty Images)

HOUSTON — Amid all the goal celebrations at Wednesday’s All-Star Game, the two biggest cheers of the night came when two very different players entered the match as second-half subs.

Javier “Chicharito” Hernandez, the current darling of Mexican soccer, came on in the 63rd minute, and the crowd erupted in appreciation of the young striker’s much-anticipated Manchester United debut. He didn’t disappoint them (or Sir Alex Ferguson), notching a classy goal in the 84th minute that raised the retractable roof at Reliant Stadium.

WATCH: Chicharito chips in a debut goal

Chicharito’s equally idolized US counterpart, Landon Donovan, came on for the MLS side in the 74th minute. He never really asserted himself, obviously worn out from the CONCACAF Champions League match he played for the LA Galaxy on Tuesday night.

What was intriguing was how many of the fans seemed to cheer equally for both players. The rivalry between the United States and Mexico is one of international football’s fiercest—one fan was seen in a homemade T-shirt with “Chicharito vs. Donovan” printed on the back—yet on this occasion, at least, the fans played it fast and loose with their affiliations.

Even the players enjoyed the hype. When asked who had received a louder reception, Donovan smiled.

“Chicharito,” he said. “The guy’s a legend.”

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Journeyman Adu begins trial in Switzerland

Freddy Adu (pictured here with the US team in 2009) is reportedly on trial with Swiss side FC Sion. (Otto Greule Jr./Getty)

AMSTERDAM – Aris FC loan item Freddy Adu has begun a trial with Swiss side FC Sion, MLSsoccer.com has confirmed.

The 21-year-old US international is still Benfica property, but could take up a new loan home this season if he impresses manager Bernard Challandes this week.

As Adu began training with Sion on Tuesday, Aris hit the road for a Europa League qualifier against Polish hosts Jagiellonia Białystok. The Greek club hold a loan contract on Adu that lasts through the end of this coming season.

Adu has agreed to take a pay cut to remain, but is no longer in manager Héctor Cúper's plans.

Last season, Adu scored twice in 12 games across all competitions for Aris, his third loan employers away from Benfica since 2008.

Sion, who have two league crowns and 11 Swiss Cups on the trophy shelf, finished seventh in Switzerland's top flight last season.

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Ihemelu back to old Rocky Mountain ways

Ugo Ihemelu (left) scored a goal the last time he and FCD faced his former Colorado team last October. (Rick Yeatts/Getty)

FRISCO, Texas – Saturday’s game between FC Dallas and Colorado won’t be Ugo Ihemelu’s first time to face his former club. But it will be his first trip back to Commerce City since the Rapids traded him to FCD for Drew Moor late last summer.

The veteran defender has already faced his former club once with FCD. On October 17, 2009, at Pizza Hut Park, Ihemelu delivered a game-winning goal in the 66th minute as FCD won 2-1 to keep their playoff hopes alive.

But the Dallas area native admits there is something special about going back to Colorado, where he played for nearly three seasons.

“It’s going to be fun first trip back, and getting to play against some friends, in front of some fans I know and in a great stadium. It’s a fun place to play and a fun city,” Ihemelu said Monday.

That tally last October remains his only goal with FCD, and while the starting center back admits it would be nice to find the back of the net against his former club once again, his new club is focused on a much bigger picture.

“I just want us to win,” Ihemelu said. “We’re sitting in a good place right now in the standings and they’re three points behind us. So, if we can create a bigger gap, we’re happy.”

After coaching him as a collegian at SMU and for the last year with FCD, Ihemelu is a player FCD coach Schellas Hyndman knows quite well.

“From the first day Ugo has been here, he’s been tremendous. He’s been very supportive of everything I do,” the FCD manager said. “He’s been an athletic force in the back. He can mark the fastest players in the league and the strongest players. He and George [John] have developed a really good combination and understanding.”

FCD head into this weekend’s match on a seven-game winning streak. Their last loss came on May 20, when they fell to current Western Conference leader Los Angeles, 1-0 in Frisco. Hyndman’s club also hasn’t lost on the road since April 17, when they fell 2-1 to New York in their first trip to Red Bull Arena.

Ihemelu offered a pretty succinct explanation for his club’s current run of success.

“Whenever Schellas was building the team, he wanted a team with character, guys that were willing to fight, fight for each other and really play for the team” he said. “It’s shown this season that this team is full of character. I think it’s going to take us a long way."

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Red Bulls back in action after Barclays outing

Red Bulls star Thierry Henry is expected to start up top this weekend against Houston. (Mike Stobe/Getty)

Upper Montclair, N.J. – Following Sunday’s win over Manchester City to snag third place in the Barclays New York Challenge, the Red Bulls returned to the practice field after two days off, ready to prepare for Houston on Saturday night.

Training at the warm and muggy practice facility at Montclair State University was intense, with the team spending lots of time working on finishing. The shooting was rusty and during one sequence, Thierry Henry then Carl Robinson both hit the right post in nearly identical spots, on consecutive shots. A few moments later, following a crossover move and then sidestepping the keeper, Danleigh Borman fired at the open net from a tight angle and hit the left post.

During the team’s small-sided game, Mac Kandji carried the same form from this past weekend that earned praised from Tottenham’s coach Harry Redknapp. Kandji was very active in practice and continues to link well with Thierry Henry.

Head coach Hans Backe was pleased with the form and fitness shown by Henry, who is now in his second full week of training with his new club. Backe said it will take “two to three weeks” for Henry to be fully fit, but he anticipates the striker starting against Houston. Henry said he hasn’t talked with Backe yet about the plan for how many minutes he’ll play, but the Red Bulls’ coach has an idea as to what he’ll do with the forward.

“If we’re lucky, perhaps 60 minutes,” Backe said.

After training, Henry remarked that his legs felt “heavy.” Saying that he didn’t know when the “form is going to come,” Henry is hopeful to be ready to play 90 minutes against Toronto in mid-August. That fixture would represent his first home appearance for the team in league action.

Right now though, Henry said that he is pleased with where he is in terms of being match-ready, but says he must progress more.

“[I’m] trying to get fit – nowhere near fit though,” Henry said.

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Crew View: Columbus in good shape

Griffit scored in his debut with Columbus as they beat Houston 3-0 on Saturday. (Getty Images)

COLUMBUS, Ohio – The good news is that the Crew are in good shape and are getting better heading into the congested part of the schedule.

The bad news, though, is that between the July 31 match at Chivas USA through Sept. 4, Columbus will play six times in MLS, face two CONCACAF Champions League games and a US Open Cup semifinal. Six of those nine matches will be on the road, including an Aug. 24 game in Trinidad & Tobago against San Juan Jabloteh.

WATCH: MATCH HIGHLIGHTS: CLB 3, HOU 0

Thankfully for the Eastern Conference leaders, they have even more confidence in their bench after the team’s 3-0 victory over Houston on Saturday. Rookie defender Shaun Francis got his first start against the Dynamo and midfielder Leandre Griffit scored shortly after entering in his debut, showing the depth of the Crew roster.

“It’s a testament to the squad and we keep getting stronger,” defender Andy Iro said. “Come August, we’re really going to need it.”

Playing extra games can drain a team, but they also provide outlets for players frustrated by their lack of playing time.

“Guys want to play, and they definitely want to play in the big games. And, if it’s physically possible, play in every game,” Iro said.

To that end, here are the top three players who are chafing to play:

1. Jason Garey – He won the starting striker role from Steven Lenhart, but then lost it to Emilio Renteria, who has started and scored in the past two matches. Renteria has four goals in 435 minutes, while Garey and Lenhart each have one in 533 and 936 minutes, respectively.

2. Gino Padula– The 23 year-old Francis is 11 years younger and quicker than the veteran left back and went from playing 33 minutes in his first MLS game on July 17 to going the full 90 a week later. Padula’s savvy will come in handy at crunch time, but Francis is the Crew’s defender of the future.

3. Dilly Duka – It can’t be easy for the eighth overall pick of the 2010 SuperDraft to see Francis (63rd selection) gain the field while he has only appeared in a couple of USOC games. To be fair to Duka, who sprained his right ankle last week, the Crew’s talented midfield is not only deep, it’s also versatile. The team is two deep ahead of Duka at every spot he can play, while Francis is the only other natural left back.

A Number of Things

1. Francis was the first Crew rookie to start an MLS game since Alex Grendi in the second game of the 2009 season.

2. William Hesmer’s eight shutouts are two shy of the team record. There are 13 games left in the season, plenty of time for Hesmer and the league’s second stingiest defense to top that.

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US and college coaches all over SUM U-17 Cup

LA attacker avoids a tackle from RSL defender. (Getty Images)

HOUSTON — The SUM U-17 Cup is, first and foremost, a competition for the MLS academies and the players to test themselves against the best. But for US U-17 national team coach Wilmer Cabrera the games provide each player that is eligible to play for US the opportunity to make a strong push for a look.

“It is important for us because 50 percent of each team’s rosters has kids that are eligible for us so it is very big and very important for us,” said Cabrera. “That is why the staff is here with me and we are checking the players. We also have some players from residency in this tournament so we can see evaluate and see the level of them with players in the same age.”

In addition, several college coaches have flown in to scout the games. Though the SUM U-17 Cup has seen a decent number of future pros, including the LA Galaxy’s Tristan Bowen and D.C. United’s Bill Hamid and Andy Najar, many of the players will forgo the pro ranks for college.

“It is an excellent and exciting environment to see the kids,” said SMU head coach Tim McClements. “It is a different look than an academy event because there are so many teams and different age groups, so it’s an event that is a little more manageable.”

After completing each team’s first two games in the group stage, the third and final group game continues Monday night at Centennial Park in Friendswood, Texas. The semifinals take place Tuesday night at Carl Lewis Field on the campus of the University of Houston, with the final on Thursday.

“This is a great opportunity to prove not only to us but to the league where our program is and where our players are,” said Dynamo Director of Youth Development James Clarkson. “We have two academy players in our first team and the path is there. If they are good enough, they will get a shot.”

For some the pressure of getting their first minutes in a competitive setting for a youth professional side may be too much to bear. For others, their ability to cope with that pressure is one of the first steps to eventually becoming a professional.

“We’ve got players that made their debut [on Friday] for the Dynamo,” Clarkson said. “It’s one thing playing and another when you actually stick the uniform on and play against other MLS teams. You can’t underestimate the pressure and the weight of the jersey sometimes.”

Dwain Capodice is a contributor to MLSsoccer.com. Questions or Comments can be sent via email to dwaincapodice@gmail.com.

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Galaxy focused ahead of Champions League qualifier

LA's Landon Donovan says the Galaxy have a real chance at winning the CONCACAF Champions League. (Victor Decolongon/Getty)

CARSON, Calif. — Past the midpoint of the 2010 Major League Soccer season, the Los Angeles Galaxy are atop the entire league. Only twice have opponents bested the club as the Galaxy sit with an astounding 40 points through 18 games.

But the Galaxy must prove their worth against an outside opponent in order to earn the right to square off against the region’s best.

On Tuesday, the Galaxy play host to the Puerto Rico Islanders in the first leg of their CONCACAF Champions League preliminary round matchup. This is not an opportunity to clear the bench and rest the Starting XI.

“The end goal is to go to the [Club World Cup] and we think with the players we have, that we have a real chance,” LA captain Landon Donovan said. “We’re going to take this very seriously. A lot of teams in SuperLiga or in this competition don’t take it as seriously but for us we’re going to really go for it.”

How serious is Galaxy coach Bruce Arena about Tuesday’s match? He did not start either Chris Birchall or Gregg Berhalter against San Jose on Thursday, and cited the Champions League matches as part of the reason why the two stalwarts did not play in the 2-2 draw against the Quakes. The chance to participate in the CCL is a unique chance for MLS clubs, and Arena is not going to squander it.

“It’s an outstanding opportunity for our club to see if we can achieve at the international level,” Arena said. “The Galaxy has been out of these types of competitions for a number of years. It’s important that we take this competition on a positive note and really try and do well.”

The Galaxy won the regional tournament a decade ago, when it was known as the CONCACAF Champions Cup. The last time they participated was in 2006, when the club blew a 2-0 lead at Deportivo Saprissa in the second leg of their quarterfinal series and bowed out 3-2 on aggregate.

This time around, if the Galaxy can get past Puerto Rico, they advance to the group stage in the standard tournament format established in 2008. The Islanders currently sit in last place in the USL Conference in the USSF D2. They have a 6-7-5 record, 1-4-4 on the road, and have scored eight goals in nine road matches.

With the Galaxy having to focus on their league opponents, however, they know little of their opponents.

“Not a whole lot,” Donovan said when asked what he knew about this Puerto Rico squad. “I looked at some of their players, some of the guys who’ve come out of MLS. I know they’ve struggled a little bit in their league. For us, it’s about how we play on Tuesday night. If we play well, we should beat them.”

Galaxy forward Edson Buddle said the chance to take a stranglehold on the series is there for the taking, but it begins not with scoring goals but with preventing them.

“We want to win, especially at home. This is a tournament we want to achieve something,” Buddle said. “Away goals count for something so we want to get a shutout. That’s something we want to get back to. Two or three goals would be nice but we definitely want a shutout first.”

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Lineup decisions loom ahead of Dynamo's match at Columbus

Kinnear, Houston hope to turn things around and make a strong run to the playoffs. (Getty Images)

HOUSTON – With the Houston Dynamo currently on the outside looking in at the playoff race every match becomes that much more critical including Saturday night’s showdown with the Columbus Crew, the top team in the Eastern Conference.

“Their defense is very stingy and they’ve got some explosive guys on the wings,” said Dynamo defender Bobby Boswell. “[Guillermo Barros] Schelotto is a pretty impressive player, especially in this league.”

Since Houston’s last league game was against Columbus just two weeks ago at Robertson Stadium, each team is fresh in the other’s mind. On that night, both sides battled to a scoreless draw, but Houston knows that the Crew are a different animal on their home turf.

“Defensively I thought we were excellent as we really limited their opportunities,” said Dynamo keeper Pat Onstad. “However, they will probably play a different style at home. But we take that confidence knowing that we were able to shut them down.”

Columbus enters the match with both Frankie Hejduk and Brian Carroll out due, respectively, to suspension and injury. For Houston, it seems likely that Onstad will play despite suffering from the effects of an abdominal strain, but coach Dominic Kinnear may choose to be cautious after the impressive play of backup keeper Tally Hall in SuperLiga.

“Against Pachuca, he was fantastic and he carried that through to the next two games,” Onstad said about Hall. “He’s a very good goalkeeper and has a great future ahead of him. I was very impressed watching from the stands as he was in great position and showed some great leadership out there.”

More intrigue is at central midfield. While Anthony Obodai was impressive against Puebla defensively and on the ball, his work rate and stamina in the Houston humidity was lacking. Brad Davis continues to look more comfortable on the left, so it seems likely that Houston will continue to match Richard Mulrooney and Lovel Palmer in the middle.

Regardless, getting a result in Columbus, where the Crew are 7-2-0, takes more than just the right personnel decisions. It requires the right mentality.

“Going in there, it’s not an easy task,” Boswell said. “But if there is a group of guys that can do it, it is this group.”

Dwain Capodice is a contributor to MLSsoccer.com. Questions or comments can be sent via email to dwaincapodice@gmail.com.

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Sporting, Tottenham draw at Barclays

Sporting Lisbon's Miguel Veloso (left) avoids the tackle of Tottenham's Adel Taarabt on Sunday at Red Bull Arena. (Mike Stobe/Getty)

Harrison, N.J. – The crème de la crème of the Barclays New York Challenge met in the first match of Sunday’s doubleheader at Red Bull Arena, and Sporting all but locked up the tournament title with a 2-2 draw against EPL side Tottenham.

Sporting – who received goals from Matias and Jaime Valdes on Sunday – finished with eight points, thanks to a 2-0 win over Manchester City in their opener on Friday. The tournament awarded three points for a win, one for a draw and one for each goal scored.

Tottenham also finished with eight points after a 2-1 win over New York on Thursday, but finished second on goal differential.

New York headed into the afternoon finale needing to win by at least five goals to capture the tournament title.

Sunday’s opener started splendidly. Sporting broke down Tottenham’s defense in the 8th minute only to have Tottenham goalkeeper Carlo Cudicini make a series of sprawling saves on point-blank efforts.

Spurs opened the scoring against the run of play in the 24th minute, thanks to Robbie Keane. Niko Krancjar sent a through ball to a streaking Keane, who rifled the ball past Rui Patricio in Sporting’s goal.

The lead didn’t last long, though, thanks to Matias. Just one minute later he snapped a header to the back post off a nifty cross from the outside of the foot of Diogo Salomao, and Sporting had leveled the match, 1-1.

Sporting took the lead just two minutes into the second half. Taking the ball from about 25 yards out, Valdes made a cut back move with his left foot then breezed past two Tottenham defenders, powering a shot from 15 yards out past second-half insertion David Button in Tottenham’s goal.

With mounting pressure against a relentless Sporting attack, Tottenham once again got a goal against the run of play in the 70th minute. Intercepting an errant Sporting pass at midfield, Keane collected the ball and sent a ball through the stretched Sporting defense to a charging Jonathan Obika. Obika pushed into the penalty area and fired a ball under Patricio that squirmed across the goal line.

Sporting – Rui Patricio, Marco Torsigilieri, Leandro Grimo (Evaldo Fabiano), Nuno Coehlo, Abel Ferreira, Matias (Andres Martins), Jaime Valdes (Simon Vukcevic), Miguel Veloso (Nuno Ribiero), Andre Santos (Pedro Mendes), Liedson (Yannick Djalo), Diogo Salomao (Florent Sinama Pongolle, Carlos Saliero)

Tottenham – Carlo Cudicini (David Button), Alan Hutton, Kyle Naughton (Danny Rose), Verdan Corluka, Kyle Walker, Gareth Bale, Tom Huddlestone, Jermaine Jenas, Adel Taarabt (Jonathan Obika), Niko Krancjar (Andros Townsend), Robbie Keane

Dos Santos signs Barca dealDjalo brace lifts Sporting Lisbon over Man. City

Brad Davis: "Mistakes have got to stop"

Errors once again proved costly for the Dynamo even before Andy Iro netted the Crew's second (Getty Images)

The Houston Dynamo regressed dramatically Saturday night in falling 3-0 to the Columbus Crew as defensive mistakes once again spotted the opponent an early lead from which Houston could not recover.

“This is one that we just have to throw away,” said midfielder Brad Davis. “We’ve been doing it all year, hurting ourselves and that’s what we did again here tonight.”

Goalkeeper Tally Hall’s first-half blunder spotted a strong Columbus defense an early lead. While Hall recovered well with a great stop to close the first half and two more in the second half, the early deficit was all the Crew needed.

“We’ve been killing ourselves all year allowing soft goals,” noted Davis. “It’s unacceptable and it’s got to stop, otherwise you’re not going to win games on this level.”

The Dynamo attack though was also lacking most of the night and deserves its fair share of the blame. With forwards Brian Ching and Cam Weaver struggling against their Columbus counterparts, there were large stretches of the match, including the game’s first 15 minutes, where Houston was struggling to stay afloat.

Although the team had its moments on set pieces, Houston managed just one shot on goal. After playing four games in ten days though, fatigue may have been a cause for the team’s poor offensive performance.

“It’s been tough, fourth game in 10 days,” said a frustrated head coach Dominic Kinnear. “It’s going to be difficult coming here anyways if you have a couple of weeks to prepare. It’s difficult. With saying that you really have to limit your mistakes and we didn’t do that tonight.”

While the 3-0 score probably flattered Columbus, they were clearly the better team on the night. The Crew continually put the Dynamo defense under pressure and Houston had to resort at times to fouling as they committed 12 infractions on the night to the Crew’s four.

“A bad mistake put us behind and I think up until that point we were doing pretty good,” noted forward Brian Ching. “I don’t think they were overwhelming us by any means. Then we made another silly mistake and a guy gets sent off and from there we’re trying to chase the game, push it, and they punished us for it.”

To make matters worse for Houston, defender Bobby Boswell was red carded and will miss the team’s next game against the New York Red Bulls. With the playoffs around the corner, each remaining home game becomes that much more important.

“We have got to put this game behind us,” Ching said. “We’ve had a good week in making it to the semifinals of Superliga, which is an extreme positive. We have to get three points next week.”

Dwain Capodice is a contributor to MLSsoccer.com. Questions or Comments can be sent via email to dwaincapodice@gmail.com.

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Ljungberg to train away from Sounders

Seattle's Freddie Ljungberg will train away from the team as he continues to explore other playing options. (Getty Images)

SEATTLE – Sounders star Freddie Ljungberg will train away from the team as he continues to entertain other playing options outside of Seattle, according to club officials.

As expected, Ljungberg will not play Sunday night when the Sounders host the Colorado Rapids at Qwest Field in a nationally televised matchup on Fox Soccer Channel.

“At this time he is training by himself, getting healthy, getting fit,” Sounders general manager Adrian Hanauer said. “We agreed together that it made some sense to keep him away from the club as he is exploring other options. I don’t think there’s a secret that that’s happening.

“We just thought it was best to keep this team focused right here on winning on Sunday [and] let Freddie explore options.”

Going forward, Hanauer is taking a wait-and-see approach to a possible transfer.

“As that process plays out, we will take things as they come to us,” Hanauer said. “Again, assuming something does or doesn’t happen in the next week or few days or two weeks, we will cross that bridge when we come to it.”

Sounders coach Sigi Schmid said that the decision to train away from the team will help Ljungberg recover from a nagging ankle injury that has limited him in recent weeks. He hasn't suited up for the club since a July 4 matchup against the LA Galaxy.

“The decision was it would probably be best right now to get his injury cured up and his ankle, which is doing much better,” Schmid said, “and while he is exploring those options, to keep him out of our training during that period of time so that he can explore those options.

“There wasn’t a risk; obviously in training with a team there’s always a greater risk of injury,” Schmid continued. “There’s not a risk of injury [training away from the team] or a risk of making the injury worse.”

Ljungberg, meanwhile, updated his blog Friday with a thank-you message to his teammates and Sounders fans.

“I felt I wanted to say something,” the post reads. “When I’ve been out and about in the city, the enormous support and appreciation I’ve got from people on the street has touched me deeply. So I just wanted to say a humble thank you to all the people of Seattle and to my teammates who have shown me so much love during this time with a million people speculating.”

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Djalo brace lifts Sporting Lisbon over Man. City

Djalo put on an impressive performance and bagged a brace to lead Sporting Lisbon past Manchester City on Friday. (Getty Images)

Sporting Clube de Portugal kicked off their first of two matches in the Barclays New York Challenge with a 2-0 victory over EPL power Manchester City on Saturday.

Yannick Djalo kept up Sporting’s tradition of producing talented wingers (Luis Figo, Cristiano Ronaldo) as he netted a first-half brace to down The Blues.

At first, it seemed the clash would go in favor of the English club. Just four minutes in, Craig Bellamy sped past the Sporting defense and put a shot on target from just outside the six-yard box, but goalkeeper Tiago easily blocked it.

Nine minutes later, Bellamy again missed. This time, Stephen Ireland sent Jo on a run, and the Brazilian striker sent a pass from the outside of the box across to Bellamy. The Welsh striker slid to get his foot on the ball but ended poking it out wide.

Sporting then began to gain more control of the match and Man. City started to look tired and out of sorts. The Lions proceeded to use their superior pace to funnel their attack down the right flank, which is where their first goal would originate from.

Portuguese midfielder Mendes recuperated the ball in the midfield and passed on to João Pereira, who subsequently passed to Simon Vukcevik near the right sideline. The Montenegrin freed himself from the mark of the defender and sent a left-footed cross into the area and Djalo popped up in front of Man. City right back Micah Richards to head the ball home around the 23rd minute.

The speedy Sporting attacker was not done yet and would score his second in the 39th minute. Saleiro, showing a beautiful display of technique, flicked a pass around the Man. City defenders with the outside of his foot and onto Djalo, who danced around goalkeeper Joe Hart at the top of the 18-yard box to slot home.

Both teams made some substitutions in the second half, hoping to give everyone some valuable minutes ahead of their respective domestic and Europa League campaigns.

Sporting picked up right where they left off, showing some nice passing and Djalo again threatened with his devilish speed.

The Portuguese club completely dominated their English counterparts in the second half, their pace and energy far above that of Manchester City. Nevertheless, Sporting were unable to seriously threaten The Blues’ goal until the 80th minute.

First, Sporting midfielder Valdés cut into the penalty box and let loose a shot, but his effort was blocked by Man. City midfielder Vincent Kompany. Just a minute later, Maniche shot from 35 yards out, but it went wide and out.

Though Sporting insisted during the remaining 10 minutes, they were unable to crack the opposing defense and the score remained 2-0.

The Portuguese club will now go on to play Tottenham Hotspur on Sunday, July 25, at 1 pm ET. The game is the first of a doubleheader.

Manchester City, on the other hand, will look for some redemption from tonight’s loss when they take on Thierry Henry and the New York Red Bulls in the latter match of the day.

Scoring Summary:

SCP: Djalo (Vukcevic) 23’

SCP: Djalo (Saleiro) 39’

Disciplinary Summary:

SCP: Carrico (caution) 43’

Manchester City FC – Joe Hart (GK), Joleon Lescott (Nedum Onuoha 46’), Greg Cunningham (Wayne Bridge 46’), Vincent Kompany, Micah Richards, Pablo Zabaleta, Adam Johnson, Patrick Vieira (Alex Tchuimeni-Nimely 64’), Stephen Ireland (Dedryck Boyata 64’), Jo (John Guidetti 73’), Craig Bellamy (Andrew Tutte 74’)

Substitute Not Used: Stuart Taylor

Sporting Clube De Portugal – Tiago Ferreira (GK), Daniel Carrico, Anderson Polga, Evaldo Fabiano, Joao Pereira, Pedro Mendes (Andre Santos 87’), Maniche, Simon Vukcevic (Jaime Valdes 73’), Yannick Djalo, Helder Postiga (Miguel Veloso 79’), Carlos Saleiro (Florent Sinama-Pongolle 46’)

Substitutes Not Used: Rui Patricio, Jaime Valdes, Liédson, Nuno Coelho

Referee: Kevin Stott Referee’s Assistants: Corey Rockwell, Corey Parker 4th Referee: Jeffrey Gontarek Attendance: 13,586

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Mike Chabala's Guide to Houston

When it comes to the city of Houston, Mike Chabala is a man about town. (Getty Images)

When traveling to unfamiliar territory it’s often best to check in with the locals if you want to find the real city—the beating heart of the area, the places that aren’t on the tourist map. You just can’t beat a having a guy on the ground that can tell when to go, what to see, where to eat and how to get there.

Since this year’s All-Star Game is in Houston, a few members of the Dynamo have offered tips on how to best enjoy the Bayou City before and after Wednesday’s match against Sir Alex Ferguson’s Manchester United [TICKETS]. Among those players to share their picks for the best of Houston is defender Mike Chabala.

So whether you are interested in good-looking people or shopping for good-looking vintage clothing, this California kid has got you covered when it comes to all things Houston.

Coolest Neighborhood ...


Chabala: “Either River Oaks or Montrose. Montrose is a beautiful area first off, and it’s also where I live. There is always something going on in this part of town, and there are always good-looking people walking around town.”



Best Mexican Food ...



Chabala: “If I'm going for a quick bite I would have to say FreeBirds. But if I'm going to lounge around, then I'll take the party to El Pueblito off of Richmond at Montrose. It has the best outdoor patio in Houston and some of the best dishes!”



Best Shopping ...



Chabala: “It's no secret that the Galleria is where you want to go for your major department stores and shops. I'm a big fan of Saks and Nordstrom, so you'll find me there. But there are some hidden spots around town. Westheimer has some cool vintage shops that I like strolling through, and I also like the Rice Village for some smaller boutiques.”



Something any visitor to Houston must do ...



Chabala: “I would have to say, come to a Dynamo game! What else could be better? If that visitor isn’t fortunate enough to catch us when we're in town then I would tell them that it’s a must to check out a Rockets/Texans/Astros game. Always a good time supporting local Houston teams. The Galleria is on the list for some shopping, followed by a visit to Uptown Park for a Crave cupcake and coffee.

“I would also take some time venturing through Rice Village and the Rice University area before making time for a dinner in Midtown. After dinner, I would take your dancing shoes toward Washington Street to find a good spot to end the night off.”


Need more? Check out the Soccer Fan's Guide to Houston and the All-Star fan information page.

Dynamo focus on back line during WC break

Debating Chivas USA's pickup, Sal Zizzo

US youth international winger Sal Zizzo will now be representing the colors of Chivas USA (Getty Images)

This past Wednesday afternoon saw Chivas USA nab 23-year-old Sal Zizzo in a weighted lottery for the attacking midfielder. With an impressive resume of experience for a player as young as he is, the San Diego native shows promise as a potential star for the Goats in seasons to come if he can settle quickly into MLS play. The real question is, can he? MLSsoccer.com examines four issues to consider as Zizzo preps to make his MLS debut.

1.International Experience – Zizzo has represented the United States at the U-20, U-23, and senior levels. He has only amassed eight total caps between those three squads, but it’s no small matter to be invited to youth national team camps and play alongside guys like Freddy Adu and Jozy Atidore – both of whom were teammates of Zizzo’s at the 2007 U-20 FIFA World Cup. His experience in the global stage may be limited, but it’s still more than many players can claim and will certainly have benefited his composure and technique.

2. Bundesliga Background – Zizzo spent the last three seasons with Hannover 96 in the German Bundesliga. He was only able to make eight first-team appearances due to illness and injury, but three years of training with and learning from a Top Division German side like Hannover will improve any player’s skill and tactics. The hard-tackling, physical style of the Bundesliga is very similar to MLS, and Zizzo’s ability to learn from players like American veteran and Hannover captain Steve Cherundolo will have its benefits for the youngster on the field.

3. Injury Problems – Zizzo has struggled with injury and illness throughout his professional career. His 2009 loan to German Second Division side Fortuna Düsseldorf, a move that should have given him more time on the pitch, was cut short due to sickness, and he missed the entirety of the following Hannover 96 season with a torn ACL. Much of Zizzo’s success at Chivas USA will rely on his ability to get over the knee damage and to stay healthy. If he cannot, he will likely become a new version of John O’Brien, the former US World Cup veteran who struggled with injuries and never made the impact in MLS that most expected.

4. The Unknown Quantity – The biggest thing standing in Zizzo’s way is his lack of first-team experience. Since turning pro, the midfielder has played startlingly small number of actual first-team games. An impressive two years at UCLA suggest that he is capable of being a highly productive member of the attack, but he hasn’t shown those kinds of numbers since leaving the Bruins. The Red-and-White are banking that a healthy Zizzo is a productive Zizzo, but the truth is that remains to be seen at the pro level.

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The Los Angeles Galaxy and the San Jose Earthquakes have a history of breaking each other's hearts. (Getty Images)

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Chivas USA young guns thankful for playing time

Flores (above) and Mayen saw valuable minutes against Pachuca in SuperLiga. (Getty Images)

CARSON, Calif. -- Between them, Chivas USA third-year players Gerson Mayén and Jorge Flores have seen the pitch just 242 minutes so far this season. And yet, when the pair was called into action against Mexican First Division side Pachuca last Wednesday, each performed admirably in helping to earn a solid 1-0 victory for the Goats.

WATCH:MATCH HIGHLIGHTS: CHV 1, PAC 0

Mayen’s and Flores’ success against Pachuca, even with so little game experience this year, should come as no surprise to any Red-and-White fan. The two have long been important role-players for Chivas USA and are always able to step in when called upon.

“This team has good players – anybody who comes into the game can make a difference,” Mayén told MLSsoccer.com after Wednesday’s match. “For me, I just try to stay focused at all times. Even when I’m not named in the squad, I watch the game and try to keep my concentration always. That way, when I do get a shot, I’m ready to go.”

Flores entered Wednesday’s game at halftime, replacing left-back Ante Jazic. Mayén was added in the 72nd in place of Rodolfo Espinoza and slotted into the left midfield position in front of Flores.

“Getting actual game time is really important for us younger guys,” said Flores after the match. “It helps to build our confidence and allows us a chance to get into the rhythm of the team. I hope we can continue to get these chances to improve and show the coach what we can do.”

Flores and Mayén are no strangers to one another on the pitch. The two played together in the Chivas USA Youth Academy before joining the Red-and-White first team, and both were included on the roster for the United States U-20 team that competed at the 2009 FIFA U-20 World Cup.

“Gerson and I have a good friendship on the field,” said Flores. “We’re used to being together and I think our communication is good.”

While both players have done well for themselves in the time that they’ve gotten, both admit that it can be hard to step into a game after not having played in a while.

“It’s hard to get your rhythm out there because we don’t play a lot of games,” said Mayén. “Especially against these Mexican teams – they keep ball very well, so you it’s hard because you feel like you’re chasing the game sometimes.”

Nevertheless, both Mayén and Flores are grateful for any chance they get to step onto the field and will continue to stay focused off the pitch so that they can take advantage of their opportunities on it.

“I’m happy for the minutes I get,” said Flores. “It’s a chance to improve my own game and get some more game experience.”

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Rimando finally seeing recognition he deserves

Nick Rimando becomes only the second goalkeeper in MLS history to win Player of the Month honors twice (Getty Images)

LEHI, Utah — Considering all that Nick Rimando has done as a goalkeeper—two MLS Cups, 263 appearances, more than 100 wins—it’s amazing to think he has been named to the MLS All-Star team only once before. The conventional wisdom is that the Real Salt Lake goalkeeper’s size—he stands just 5-foot-9—has been a factor.

“I always say that maybe you have to be 6 feet tall to get some recognition,” Rimando told MLSsoccer.com recently. “It did [bother me] in the beginning. But you’ve just got to play your game.”

Playing his game has gone very well for Rimando this year. In 16 games, he boasts a .81 goals against average, tied for third in the league. He backstopped a recently broken 566-minute shutout streak, the third longest streak in MLS history. He was named MLS Player of the Month for June.

It was fitting, then, that he was picked by All-Star team coach Bruce Arena for the squad that will face Manchester United on July 28.

“Being named is just special, and a complete honor,” he said.

Rimando is just seven wins away from moving into third place on the all-time wins list. The way RSL are playing, that could happen by the end of this season. And with RSL’s success, the proper recognition is starting to come. For Rimando, his place in the annals of the league may be recognition enough.

“Once you see your name up there with Tony Meola and Kevin Hartman—it feels good,” he said. “It shows that you are doing your job.”

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Kennedy happy to be earning PT for Chivas

Dan Kennedy has been Chivas' starting goalkeeper since Zach Thornton suffered an injury. (Getty Images)

CARSON, Calif. – As Chivas USA prepare to take on Mexican Primera side Pachuca at the Home Depot Center on Wednesday evening, there may benobody more excited about stepping onto the field than Dan Kennedy.

The third-year goalkeeper has been the Red-and-White’s first choice during the 2010 SuperLiga and has taken full advantage of his time on the field.

“This is why we play; to be on the field and contribute to the team on the field,” Kennedy told MLSsoccer.com after practice on Tuesday. “This has always been a special tournament to me – the SuperLiga – because you get the opportunity to play some of the best teams on the North American continent. I’ve always enjoyed being able to compete in this tournament and look forward to it.”

Kennedy took over the starting job from Zach Thornton in the 36th minute of Chivas USA’s game against Kansas City on July 10 after Thornton went down with an injured ankle. Kennedy then helped the Goats to a 2-0 win over the Wizards and the team’s first league win since May 5 at New England.

“Kansas City was a great result for us on the road,” said Kennedy. “To get a win on the road in this league isn’t easy for anybody. We needed those three points.”

Since then, Kennedy has been given the starting nod in each of Chivas USA’s first two SuperLiga group games, including the 2-1 loss to Puebla last Thursday and the 1-1 draw against Houston on Sunday.

“I was really happy to be on the field for our first home game,” Kennedy said. “Unfortunately, we didn’t get the result and we put ourselves into a corner. But we went to Houston and we needed a win but we knew that a tie would give us an outside chance.”

Kennedy will once again get the nod on Wednesday against Pachuca as Chivas USA try to edge their way into the SuperLiga semifinals. The Goats will be looking for a win at the Home Depot Center and will have to hope for a loss for Houston against Puebla in the other game. Pachuca has already been mathematically eliminated from the tournament.

“With Pachuca having a tough run so far in the SuperLiga, you can expect them to change their lineup a bit,” said Kennedy. “They’ll have some guys out there who are eager to show what they’ve got for their new season. We need to be prepared and to be tight defensively to give ourselves a chance to score a couple of goals and win 2-0.”

Even if the result doesn’t go Chivas USA’s way, Kennedy is glad to get a chance for some game minutes and will continue to work hard toward improvement in the SuperLiga and beyond.

“I’m happy to have gotten a string of games behind me,” he said. “In the last game, I had some good decisions that resulted in good saves and that’s what I’m supposed to be doing. It feels good.”

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New TFC signing Mista shows promise in debut

Mista debuted for Toronto on Wednesday against the EPL's Bolton Wanderers. (Paul Giamou/torontofc.ca)

TORONTO – Mo Johnston’s latest answer to Toronto FC’s offensive deficiencies took to the field Wednesday looking to make an impact.

Miguel Angel Ferrer Martinez, better known as "Mista," made his much-awaited debut in Toronto’s Carlberg Cup exhibition against English Premier League side Bolton Wanderers. Despite The Reds’ loss in penalty kicks—their third-straight shootout defeat in their three-year history—TFC's second Designated Player showed glimpses of what could help lead the club to its first-ever playoff appearance.

In one half of play, the former Deportivo la Coruña striker was a central figure in the offense, taking two corner kicks and two free kicks.

TFC coach Preki said earlier this week that Mista, 31, would play 45 minutes. Before the Spaniard's time was up, however, he set up Maicon Santos with a nice crossing pass that Santos headed into the goal to level the Trotters in first half injury time.

“It’s important for him to get some minutes in games, and he getting 45 minutes did some encouraging things. Hopefully he’ll have the next couple of days in training, good training days, and we’ll see where he fits on Saturday [against FC Dallas] and next Wednesday against Motagua [in the CONCACAF Champions League],” said Preki.

Though he trained with the club during the last few weeks, Mista only received clearance for his International Transfer Certificate just days ago. But the lack of game action didn’t seem to affect the forward, as he appeared to know where to be on the field at the right time.

Forced to watch Toronto’s 2-1 loss to Philadelphia Saturday from the sidelines, Mista saw a club whose offense has gone stale of late.

Dwayne De Rosario and Chad Barrett have eight and five goals, respectively, but the team’s offense has still struggled. TFC have scored only three goals in their last six games—and three in their last five MLS games—with De Rosario goalless in his last five league games.

Mista has spent most of his career in La Liga and had his most productive seasons while with Valencia, where he scored 40 goals in 142 games.

With half the season left and TFC on the cusp of a playoff seed, Johnston and Preki hope the Spaniard—and Santos—can do what Carlos Ruiz and Pablo Vitti failed to do in previous years: provide the offense that will propel the club to the playoffs.

Signed through the end of the 2010 season, Mista played in a shadow role behind starting striker Fuad Ibrahim, but Preki denied he would consistently be a lagging striker behind the likes of a Chad Barrett.

“We’re going to talk on the training ground and we’re going to talk before the games,” said Preki. “In different games there might be a different role for him, so nothing is set for him right now.”

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Fire offer Conde a "very good" contract extension

The Fire's Wilman Conde's contract expires at the end of the season. (Getty Images)

BRIDGEVIEW Ill. — Lost amid the hype and hoopla of the Chicago Fire’s signing of Mexican striker Nery Castillo and the rumors of a second DP on the way to Toyota Park is the contract status of an important player already here: Wilman Conde.

Conde’s current deal expires at the end of this season, and the Colombian center back isn’t short on suitors. According to his agent, the 27-year-old, who was named to the 2010 MLS All-Star team this week, is garnering interest from Argentine giants River Plate along with clubs in Spain, France and Mexico.

But negotiations with the Fire are ongoing and, according to both sides, proceeding well.

“We’ve made an offer,” Klopas told MLSsoccer.com. “We feel that it’s a very good one.”

Conde’s agent, former Fire player Diego Gutierrez, agrees.

“I think the team has presented an offer that is interesting to the player,” Gutierrez told MLSsoccer.com. “Both the league and the team have made it very obvious that they want him to stay. They have made a very good offer and want to retain his services.”

Now the onus is on Conde to make a decision as to where he wants to play.

“It’s going to be a matter for the player of sitting back and thinking about what he wants to do.” Gutierrez said. “It’s about a lot of different things. It’s not just about money; it’s about what is the best decision.”

Gutierrez, who also represents former Fire player Bakary Soumare, added that there is no timetable for Conde to make a decision.

Klopas, of course, is hoping that Conde will choose to remain a member of the Fire. With the hiring of manager Carlos de los Cobos and the recent signings, there is a momentum at the club, currently in fourth place in the Eastern Conference, and a feeling that they could find a real rhythm in the second half of this season and beyond.

“We know how prestigious it is for any player to be a part of this organization,” Klopas said. “We feel that the players that are here understand that and respect that, so we made an offer. And now it’s up to the player. Hopefully he knows that this is a great organization and one that he wants to continue with and win championships with.”

Sam Stejskal covers the Chicago Fire for MLSsoccer.com. He can be reached at sam.h.stejskal@gmail.com.

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Conde surprised, honored by All-Star nod

Wilman Conde was named to the 2010 MLS All-Star roster. (Getty Images)

BRIDGEVIEW Ill. – Wilman Conde couldn’t help but be a little surprised when he learned that he would be joining Fire teammate Marco Pappa in Houston for next week’s All-Star Game against Manchester United.

“I know there are a lot of defenders that have been doing a great job with their respective clubs,” Conde said on Monday. “The fact that I was one of the chosen ones … it’s a huge surprise.”

The nod is the second straight All-Star selection for the Colombian, who has started and played in every minute of all but one of the Fire's regular season games in 2010. The 27-year-old was an MLS Best XI selection last year.

Conde, a 2009 MLS Best XI selection, said that he’s looking forward to the challenge of facing off against the likes of Ryan Giggs, Dimitar Berbatov and Nani in next Wednesday’s match.

“I am really happy and it is great news for my family and me,” Conde said. “Being nominated among a lot of good MLS players is gratifying, and playing against a team like Manchester United will be an unforgettable experience.”

Sam Stejskal covers the Chicago Fire for MLSsoccer.com. He can be reached at sam.h.stejskal@gmail.com.

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Postcard from Europe: Movsisyan aiming for trophies with Randers

Yura Movsisyan scored the second goal in a 2-0 season opening victory over Brondby (Randers FC)

AMSTERDAM – Winning MLS Cup last year seems to have awakened something in Yura Movsisyan. The former Real Salt Lake star has a hunger for trophies, and he says he's just getting started.

Seven months into his new adventure at Randers FC, Movsisyan has designs on raising more silver at the end of his first full season in Denmark's top flight.

"Why not?" Movsisyan told MLSsoccer.com. "Obviously, You've got the big ones, Copenhagen and Brøndby, but I think we've got a good team as we showed last year. An average team wouldn't go 15 to 16 games without losing. That's given us a lot of confidence. I'm shooting for the title. I don't know if anybody else is thinking that, but I am."

It's little wonder to find Movsisyan so full of kick in the Horses' strike stable. After collecting as many red cards as goals (one) over his first six games with Randers, the 23-year-old has exploded for nine in his last 10, including two in Europa League qualifying.

"For me, in the beginning, it was difficult because I couldn't get used to the country, the level, the weather," he said. "It also takes time to get used to the players. But I adapted really well and started scoring and kept going."

Movsisyan's latest strike came in Sunday's SAS Liga season opening win over the same Brøndby he identified as championship contender. The workhorse hopped off the bench to put the hosts up 2-0 by busting the offside trap to round the helpless keeper.

He's acclimatized off the field as well, growing comfy in the scenic harbor town that is Randers.

"It's quite nice here," said Movsisyan. "It's a little town, you can't really call it a big city. There's not much to do but concentrate on football. The weather is also quite nice, which helps. I'm happy."

With things going so well, the Azerbaijan-born Armenian is staying positive over his quest to one day join the US National Team and play for America at a World Cup. Transferring to play in Denmark may slow down the citizenship process he's begun a bit, but once again, Movsisyan's got his eyes fixed on the prize.

"I'm still of the same mindset," he stated. "Becoming a citizen could take a while or it could be a quick process. There's people working on it right now. It's not going to be as fast as it would have been there, but there's always ways to expedite it."

For now, though, Movsisyan's focus is squarely on Thursday's home leg of their UEFA Europa League second qualifying duel with Slovenian side Gorica. Randers lead 3-0 from the away leg and their No. 9 shirt is quite confident they will close up that bit of business.

"They're coming to our home and it'll be very, very difficult for any team to come into our house," Movsisyan said.

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Le Toux makes it two Player of the Week awards

Sebastien Le Toux captures Player of the Week and All-Star honors on the same day (Getty Images)

In the same week that Thierry Henry joined the league, another Frenchman was grabbing the accolades for his play of the field.

Another spectacular week by Philadelphia Union fan favorite Sebastien Le Toux earned the forward his second MLS Player of the Week award this season as voted by the North American Soccer Reporters (NASR).

Le Toux featured prominently in two Union home victories last week. His 23rd-minute strike was the decisive goal in the Union’s first ever-win in an international match as Philadelphia defeated Celtic 1-0 last Wednesday night at PPL Park.

On Saturday afternoon it was a corner kick by Le Toux which led to Philadelphia’s first goal in the 61st minute against Toronto FC. He then converted a dramatic penalty kick in the fourth minute of stoppage time to give the Union a last-gasp 2-1 win and lift them just eight points adrift of the eighth and final playoff berth.

The Player of the Week award was the second honor of the day received by Le Toux, who has seven goals on the season. He was also named by MLS All-Stars head coach Bruce Arena to play in the All-Star Game on July 28 in Houston.

2010 MLS Player of the Week Winners

Week 1: Javier Morales (Real Salt Lake)

Week 2:Kenny Mansally (New England Revolution)

Week 3: Sebastien Le Toux (Philadelphia Union)

Week 4: Edson Buddle (LA Galaxy)

Week 5: Dwayne De Rosario (Toronto FC)

Week 6: Edson Buddle (LA Galaxy)

Week 7:Landon Donovan (LA Galaxy)

Week 8:Alvaro Saborio (Real Salt Lake)

Week 9:Emilio Renteria (Columbus Crew)

Week 10: Dwayne De Rosario (Toronto FC)

Week 11: Brek Shea (FC Dallas)

Week 12: Chris Pontius (D.C. United)

Week 13: Juan Pablo Angel (New York Red Bulls)

Week 14: Alvaro Saborio (Real Salt Lake)

Week 15: Justin Braun (Chivas USA)

Week 16: Sebastien Le Toux (Philadelphia Union)

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Fire shopping for 2nd, possibly 3rd DP

Nery Castillo was added to the Chicago roster as a DP this weekend. The club is hoping to add more. (Getty Images)

BRIDGEVIEW, Ill. – The Fire aren't done shopping for Designated Players.

Team technical director Frank Klopas – who announced the arrival of current DP Nery Castillo on Saturday – indicated that he’d like to bring at least one more Designated Player to Chicago before the end of the season.

WATCH: Fire announce Nery Castillo signing

“We’re very actively looking [for a second DP],” Klopas said in a press conference following the Fire’s Saturday night SuperLiga loss to New England. “I know that from [team owner Andrew Hauptman] all the way down, we’re committed to bringing in a second – possibly even a third – DP to make this team stronger.”

But Klopas won’t bring in a DP merely to make a splash. He understands that any new acquisition – DP or not – needs to be a good fit for the Fire both on and off the field.

“There are a lot of names that pop out there,” Klopas said. “But you can’t just get excited and say, ‘this guy, that guy.’ It’s got to make sense for our organization. It’s got to make sense not only with what he does on the field, but off the field as well.”

So what does make sense for the Fire? On the field, the team is in need of a creative player who can effectively bridge the gap between the defense and the forwards. An attack-minded central midfielder would seem to do the trick.

Off the field, the Fire’s needs aren’t unique. They’ll be looking for a charismatic player able to spark fan interest, create media buzz and avoid Chicago’s numerous distractions.

“We don’t want players that just want to come here to have a great time in the city of Chicago,” Klopas said. “It is a great city. It’s great to visit. We always invite them to come. But when they put that jersey on we want guys that really understand what it means to [play for the Fire]. We want guys who really come out on the field and compete and help this organization win championships.”

Sam Stejskal covers the Chicago Fire for MLSsoccer.com. He can be reached at sam.h.stejskal@gmail.com.

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Kick Off: All-Stars to be named, DPs grab headlines

It is being reported that Brian Ching will be among the final 12 MLS All-Stars named to face Manchester United (Getty Images)

Today MLS All-Stars manager Bruce Arena will reveal the rest of the names that will make up his 23-man roster to face Manchester United on July 28 at Reliant Stadium. Two of those players will be Commissioner’s picks and the Houston Chroniclereveals one of them.

The additional All-Star players will be officially announced on MLSsoccer.com at 1 p.m. ET.

Likely to start against Manchester United will be Galaxy World Cup players Landon Donovan and Edson Buddle, who ensured LA returned to winning ways with a win on Sunday at RFK Stadium against a D.C. United team which saw its star, Andy Najar, also hit the back of the net.

The match provided Donovan with the opportunity to address MLS Commissioner Don Garber’s statement that a Donovan transfer overseas is not in the cards.

With more than a week until the MLS All-Star Game, Manchester United are preparing for a meeting against MLS expansion side Philadelphia Union on Wednesday. The Union are coming off celebrating the 19th birthday of forward Danny Mwanga in style.

MLS fans are getting their own birthday gifts. After the announcements of Thierry Henry and Nery Castillo as DPs, another Mexican DP signing is nowsaid to be 75 percent complete.

Mexican legend Rafael Márquez was at the Home Depot Center on Sunday participating in a benefit event with Eva Longoria.

In addition to a third Mexican DP in MLS being rumored to join Kansas City, Wizards fans will be happy with an international acquisition to bolster the back line.

English soccer fans will know the name Francis Jeffers, who is also weighing an MLS offer.

Ronaldinho looks like he could be a perfect fit in Hollywood if this video alongside one famous rapper is any indication.

This one came out of left field: the New York Yankees tabling an offer to purchase San Jose Earthquakes partner club and Thierry Henry’s debut opponent Tottenham Hotpsur?

Another American attempt at breaking through in the EPL, this one by coach Bob Bradley, seems to have been spoiled by Martin Jol’s wife.

Arguably the most controversial moment of the weekend came in Sunday’s international exhibition between Seattle and Celtic FC when Sounders ‘keeper Terry Boss was ejected on a play which still ended in a Celtic goal. The referee himself speaks out on his decision.

Sounders manager Sigi Schmid was especially disappointed, although it proved a dream come true for the third-string ‘keeper from Tacoma.

Celtic’s goalkeeping counterpart was an American from Norman, Okla., who was defending the Scottish pipes.

One of the bigger stories of the weekend was Real Salt Lake’s 10-game undefeated streak coming to an end in Frisco. RSL manager Jason Kreis is doing a mea culpa after the 2-0 loss.

In SuperLiga action, the Houston Dynamo and Chivas USA both remained in contention for a place in the semifinals following Sunday's 1-1 tie in Group A, while the New England Revolutionare motivated by the financial incentives as they aim to win it all after qualifying from Group B.

Along with the Revs, Mexican side Puebla are the other surprise package in the group stage.

Although the Chicago Fire were eliminated from SuperLiga over the weekend, they can take consolation in their U-15/16 Development Academy title.

Former MLS top scorer Luciano Emilio is desperate to stay in MLS after parting ways with D.C. United. He goes on to mention the name of one team he would seek to join.

And the city of Atlanta is desperate for MLS, too. In an unprecedented move by an American city, there are new aggressive steps being taken by some of Atlanta’s community leaders.

Finally, from the Chilean second division, a scene from a soccer match that is the nightmare of every referee: a player attacking a ref after receiving a second yellow (SPANISH).

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Complete effort helps Crew fend off Red Bulls

Chad Marshall (left) and the Crew defense earned a clean sheet. (Getty Images)

COLUMBUS, Ohio – No one was saying Saturday’s 2-0 win over the Thierry Henry-less New York Red Bulls was the Crew's best game of the season, but the results speak for themselves.

WATCH: FULL MATCH HIGHLIGHTS

The standard-bearer for Columbus had been a 2-0 defeat to the visiting Los Angeles Galaxy on May 29 when the Crew had dominated the match. Even Wednesday’s 1-0 home loss to Kansas City was dismissed because the players thought the effort was there.

It’s been the same story all season: tallying wins early in the year despite not playing well, followed by better performances, but without the results.

That’s why beating the Red Bulls behind goals from Emilio Renteria and Brian Carroll was different. Finally, the Crew put it all together for one game as Henry watched from a Crew Stadium suite.

“We found the goals," forward Guillermo Barros Schelotto said. "They didn't have opportunities to score. We controlled the game for 90 minutes.”

Columbus (9-3-4, 31 points) increased their lead in the Eastern Conference to five points over the Red Bulls (8-6-2, 26).

It played out similar to the Crew’s 3-1 win at Red Bull Arena on May 20 when Columbus moved into first. The Crew was simply better in each game.

“A lot of guys on our team had good games,” Carroll said. “Whenever we can get that, we should look forward to getting good results"

Carroll added that the combination of facing a threat to their conference lead and redemption for the loss to the Wizards made for an energized game, especially with several lineup changes.

“You throw in some fresh legs and a little more focus and intensity, and good things can happen,” Carroll said. “It was a good overall team win. We needed one after the loss to KC.”

The only negative was the ejection of captain Frankie Hejduk in 89th minute. His hard, late challenge to Carl Robinson was met with a kick from the midfielder. Hejduk retaliated with a kick of his own and was ejected, while Robinson escaped without a booking.

Otherwise, it was the Crew’s night from the start.

“We played one of the best games” coach Robert Warzycha said. “The players responded very well. As a team we played very well.

It’s not like we go in with a different attitude to play Kansas City or LA or other teams,” he added. “We actually played very good soccer against those teams but (for) the outcome, we lost 1-0, 2-0, but I liked the soccer.”

Warzycha started Renteria for the third time this season—but for the first time at forward after experimenting with him on the right flank. Renteria scored his first MLS goal of the season in the first meeting with the Red Bulls, and he became a matador of sorts by punishing New York again in the 20th minute by finishing a shot from 17 yards after taking a pass from Schelotto.

“I keep scoring against New York, so we have to keep playing them,” Renteria said.

Carroll started the sequence by stealing the ball from Juan Pablo Angel at midfield and then linking with Moffat, who found Schelotto on the attack. Schelotto credits Renteria with making a good run.

“I couldn’t find him," Schelotto said. "He showed me the pass."

Carroll added an insurance goal with a nifty one-timer in the 48th minute for his first goal in 23 months. He later left the match with a right ankle injury that did not appear to be serious.

“It was certainly fun,” Carroll said. “The team played great tonight. It was good to be part of that and to get a shot on goal. I tried to keep it on frame and see if good things happen.”

Warzycha said he always fears a meltdown with a two-goal lead, but it didn’t happen—and the Crew retained the top spot in the East.

“What I was happy about today was the composure,” he said. “Everybody knew what work to do and where to go defensively and offensively. I’m very pleased.”

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RSL tactical changes not rewarded by woodwork

Lady luck was not smiling on Javier Morales and RSL Saturday night with two shots striking woodwork (Getty Images)

On Saturday night Real Salt Lake goalkeeper Nick Rimando moved into third place for the longest shutout streaks in MLS history as his team faced FC Dallas. His 567-minute stretch without giving up a goal stands just 114 minutes short of Tony Meola’s all-time league mark.

However, the story in this match was that the streak finally came to an end in 2-0 loss at Pizza Hut Park. It was not the only streak that came crashing down.

WATCH: FULL MATCH HIGHLIGHTS

The loss ended a 10-game unbeaten run and the two goals conceded by RSL marked the first time a team has scored against them in the last eight matches. And it was also the first time Real Salt Lake had given up multiple goals since mid-April.

Salt Lake brought a different tactical approach into this match. RSL employed a 4-5-1 formation, dropping Fabian Espindola back from his usual advanced position, and leaving striker Robbie Findley as the lone option up top.

The game plan was to employ five midfielders and to keep their own outside backs at home while using Findley’s speed to keep the opposing back line honest. The strategy appeared to prove effective in the first half, as RSL gave up only a couple of chances in the extreme heat and with 45 minutes left to play.

Things began to unravel in the early moments of the second half, as Real Salt Lake allowed themselves to be stretched along the right side of the defense on several occasions. RSL also struggled to maintain possession during this stretch.

This may have precipitatedthe double change that RSL manager Jason Kreis made in the 61st minute as he brought on more attacking flair and switched back to the familiar 4-4-2. Substitutes Andy Williams and Alvaro Saborio came on for Findley and Jean Alexandre. However, shortly after the moves were made, FC Dallas were able to make their mark and opened the scoring.

While the final result could suggest to some that FC Dallas comfortably managed Salt Lake, the result very nearly could have gone the opposite way.

This RSL team enjoyed some luck a week ago, as the posts helped them keep a clean sheet in Chicago. This week, the posts became the enemy as two Real Salt Lake shots were negated by the hardware in each half – one from a low angle shot from the left by Javier Morales, and the other from a shot near the top of the area by Will Johnson.

RSL will hope that luck comes back to smile on them next week against Chivas USA at Rio Tinto Stadium.

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